Editor's Note
Welcome! I’m glad to have you here and I hope you can gain some value and if not then I would love to learn from you and be friends :D
🗓️ The Search
This week I did cold messaging
What was tried: I cold DM on LinkedIn and got different results. From long form of messaging to short and even used AI tools to see if it could work
what happened: The only DM that got read was the simple and short
lessons learned: When everyone is trying to sound more articulate and sophisticated, the ones that stand out are those who are the most personable. Below are two examples. The top is what’s wrong, the bottom is the approach that got me heard. The short message worked because it respected their time and got straight to value
This is only the first half so imagine the rest, its really bad because it overexplains, doesn’t provide a good reason for wanting to connect and for a first message it sounds desperate
Straight to the point with what you want and why you matter and casual enough that you are not a bot. Got a response within a day
The Craft
Here is a framework I learn from having a coffee chat and its call “ICE”
The ICE Framework (for Prioritizing Features)
One of the biggest challenges in product management is deciding what to build next. The ICE framework helps you rank ideas based on three factors:
Impact: How much value will this feature bring to users or the business?
Confidence: How sure are you about that impact? (Data, feedback, or gut?)
Ease: How simple or cheap is it to build?
Here’s an example I was using to test out mechanics for a game idea where you play as a cute fox trying to bake but the physics are a bit chaotic. I had three ideas on my list and needed to pick one to ship first:
Rush Mode, a timer-based challenge for faster, funnier bakes
Kitchen Decorations, customize your baking space
Perfect Bake Tracker, score how well your pastries turn out
Perfect Bake Tracker, despite being hardest to build, scored highest because the impact is so strong and I'm confident it's what players want
Why this matters for your job search
When you're in a PM interview and they ask "How do you prioritize features?", saying "I use ICE" isn't enough. You need to show you understand the tradeoffs: You need to validate first.
High confidence but low ease? Maybe it's not worth the engineering time.
High ease but low impact? You're building busy work.
High impact but low confidence? You need to validate first
Try this: Pick a product you use every day (Spotify, Instagram, whatever). Think of three features they COULD add. Score them using ICE. Write it down
The Opportunity
This week I'm highlighting two PM internships that actually pay well and teach real skills. Both are summer 2026, both are at companies building products that matter
Mongo DB: Product Management Intern, US 2026
MongoDB is becoming one of the most important tools in tech right now especially in the age of no-code/low-code platforms and AI development. Understanding databases at this level sets you apart. Its a 10-week program, you'll join one of three areas (Atlas for cloud reliability, Query for database engine, or Search and AI for semantic retrieval)
Plus, they explicitly say "you don't need to code." What they DO want is someone who can dive into APIs, understand design logic, and make tradeoffs with engineers. That's learnable.
The pay ranges from $80K to $114K, and the program runs hybrid in the summer.
Something I recommend in your cover letter, mention a time you had to understand something technical without being an expert. MongoDB wants "comfortable diving in," so its an excellent way to standout
Best of luck
Coinbase: Associate Product Manager Intern, US 2026
Coinbase’s Associate Product Manager internship is a 12-week summer program in San Francisco for students who want to learn how to build products that move the crypto economy forward. You’ll work with engineering, design, and business teams to shape strategy, prioritize features, and deliver user experiences that make crypto easier to use.
Interns join one of five groups: Base, which builds Coinbase’s Layer 2 blockchain; Consumer, which focuses on the retail app and wallet; Developer, which creates APIs and SDKs for builders; Institutional, which serves large financial clients; and Platform, which powers the systems behind it all.
It’s a fast-paced and collaborative program that pays $55 an hour. You don't need crypto expertise, just curiosity about the space. They want people who can work with eng/design/business to shape strategy and improve user experience.
Something I recommend here is connecting with the people from base on X such as Connor Holliman who is in fact the recruiter for Coinbase.
Best of luck
This Week's Action
Apply to MongoDB AND Coinbase
Don't just save these links. Actually apply
Set a timer. Get it done. Imperfect applications sent > perfect applications drafted
Reply and let me know you did it. Accountability matters
That's it for this week. If any of this resonated, I'd love to hear from you.
I read every email or connect with me on Linkedin - always down to chat
Bryan :)
P.S. If you know someone trying to break into PM, forward this to them. Let's figure this out together.
Till next time,